Pandemonium broke out at Vidyasagar Hospital in Behala when two rival groups clashed on Saturday morning.

Trouble started when the two groups visited the hospital to inquire about their gang members who were admitted there. The men had been injured in a clash during the Durga Puja immersion on Thursday night.

Police said there were heated exchanges when the groups met at the hospital which soon triggered a clash. Seeing the situation take a turn for the worse, the hospital staff raised an alarm, while doctors intervened to pacify the warring factions. The authorities contacted the Behala police station, which sent a large contingent led by deputy superintendent Subhankar Chatterjee. But no arrests have been made in this connection.

Local MLA and Trinamul Congress leader Partha Chatterjee, too, rushed to the spot and spoke to both the groups.

Sources said Saturday’s incident was a sequel to a long-standing feud between the gangs having links with the underworld. Police, however, refused to accept the argument.

“Two youths from rival factions — Babuprasad Kanojia, 20, and Sanjib Thakur, 27 — were critically injured on Thursday night when at least 500 people clashed with sticks and iron rods,” said a police officer.

“Several cases of extortion and abduction are pending against Kanojia and Thakur. Both were trying to wrest control over certain areas in Behala and Thakurpukur after local crimelord Jishu Jain and his accomplices were put behind bars,” the official added. Kanojia and Thakur were also engaged in drug-peddling.

nDetained at airport: The Intelligence wing of the customs department detained a man at the Dum Dum airport on Friday for allegedly trying to smuggle out jewellery worth Rs 18 lakh. Sources said the man was about to board a flight for Dhaka.